


Better days

by GreenPhoenix



Series: Picking up the pieces [3]
Category: Law & Order: SVU, Oz (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 13:59:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4022473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenPhoenix/pseuds/GreenPhoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are getting better for Toby and Elliot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better days

Toby stayed with Elliot on weekends now, occasionally cleaning the apartment, all to stay off the booze for Holly’s sake.  
Elliot talked of trying to find a job better suited for his skills.  
Toby thought of suggesting he try to get a P.I license. Should work for an ex-cop with Elliot’s skill and tenacity.  
He told Olivia who nodded approvingly.  
All he had to do was to get Elliot to finally crack and talk.  
It was a pain he needed to address, to let it all out.  
Toby needed Elliot closer, to be more than a fuckbuddy.  
But he senses Elliot did care, and they ate together and talked more often now.  
The ghost of Chris Keller stayed lost, no longer whispering obscenities and sweet love in his ear.  
*  
“You need to talk,” said Toby.  
“Maybe. Huang came over last night.”  
“Did he?” asked Toby intrigued. “Did you talk to him?”  
“Yeah. A little. He said I needed to talk more. I’m all talked out, Toby.”  
“Fine. Holly is coming over soon.”  
“Will she stay with you?”  
“No. Mother will take her in, but I’ll see her as much as I can.”  
“Good. Is she okay?”  
“As okay as she can be. As long as she stays out of jail..”  
“Toby, don’t. She’ll be fine.”  
“Yeah, so will we El. I love you so much.”  
“You keep saying that, and I can feel it. I.—care about you. I never felt this way about another man.”  
“I know. I stole your virginity.”  
“Nah. A guy in the marines did that.”  
“You never said that.”  
“It wasn’t anything. I loved you, not him.”  
“Loved?”  
“Yeah. Still do, “ he said quietly.  
“Really?”  
“Yes. It hurt me to see you suffer, that’s why I never cane back to see you in Oz.”  
“Oh. It was okay.”  
“Toby, you were on drugs and in thrall to another serial killer. That’s not being okay.”  
“I know.”  
“You deserve better.”  
“You are good, and I love you.”  
“Good? I killed a teenage girl.”  
“You had no choice. I killed a girl when I was drunk. You did it to save lives.”  
“I could have hit her arm.”  
“No. She was out of control.”  
“Yeah. But she was desperate, and I didn’t see it. “  
“El..” Toby was silent, Elliot was finally talking.  
“I took an oath to save people and I failed.”  
“No. You didn’t, don’t you see that?”  
“No, Toby. I was a mess.”  
“No, you weren’t. You have to leave it behind you. Kathy won’t let you be alone.”  
“She won’t huh?”  
“No way. Your kids need to see you. Right fucking now.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yes. Kathy wants you over for dinner tomorrow. “  
“I can’t.”  
“Yes, you can and you will. Or Liv will have my ass.”  
“She can’t have it. It’s mine.”  
Toby chuckled a little. “Of course it is. You can have it all night.”  
“I like the sound of that,” said Elliot and smiled.  
They had a long way to go, and Toby knew it. But Elliot had talked, and he still loved Toby.  
Toby curled up next to him and smiled.  
*  
Elliot went to dinner with Kathy and his kids, and Toby went to his mother’s to see Holly.  
It was a weekend well spent.  
*  
“Good job,” said Olivia. “ I knew you could get him to open up.”  
“Yeah, “ said Toby. “Now all I have to do is make sure he becomes a P.I.”  
“Think you can do that?” asked Liv.  
“Babysteps, Liv. It’s good now.”  
“Yeah, I know. You make sure he stays on the right path now?”  
“Yes mam.”   
*  
Toby fell asleep tangled in Elliot’s arms, feeling safe and warm.  
He woke up from a nightmare and Elliot talked to him till it started to fade.  
He had almost forgotten what it felt like, to feel loved and safe.  
He hadn’t felt like that with Gen.  
He’d been her strength.  
Chris had made him feel safe, occasionally, but they were in Oz, and Chris was haunted by so many demons that Toby never could trust him.  
He loved him, but he never trusted him fully.  
Chris sensed that, and maybe that was why he killed himself.  
Maybe.  
He’d longed for Elliot’s warmth while in Oz.  
He felt secure now, and he wanted it to last.  
”Love you El,” he said.  
He got no reply, but Elliot held him tighter.


End file.
